Participatory Governance and Development: In Search of a Causal Nexus

Abstract

This paper discusses the causal nexuses between participatory governance and development through theoretical debate and research that empirically investigates this relationship. It starts by discussing literature on participation and then goes on to deal with the most relevant contributions to international debates about development. Next, departing from two of the principal explanations presented in studies about participatory democracy – institutional design and social mobilization – it analyzes empirical evidence that supports the relationship between participation and development. Finally, in light of this discussion, some conclusions are presented concerning the causal nexus capable of supporting the belief in the potentially virtuous relationship between participation and development. Early literature on participation was broadly optimistic about what participatory governance could achieve in terms of public policies and democracy, often assuming that participation could contribute to more viable and just policies, and have a positive impact on poverty, inequality and development processes. More recently, studies have become more focused on the real conditions under which forms of participatory governance have evolved. These studies have focused on: the dilemmas of emphasizing either efficiency or the inclusion of the poorest in institutional design (Abramovay et al. 2010; Bebbington et al. 2008); the difficulties of checking the distributive impacts of participatory experiences (Avritzer 2007); the disjunction between the motives and resources mobilized by the agents responsible for organizing participatory spaces; the technical and economic dimensions involved in processing the problems dealt with in these spaces (Coelho 2006; Coelho and Favareto 2007; Dagnino and Tatagiba 2007); and the fragility of the connections between deliberative experiences and governance (Favareto and Demarco 2004; Melo and Baiochi 2007). There is a lack of evidence about the causal nexuses capable of supporting the link between participation and development. The belief in participatory governance associates the inclusion of a broad spectrum of citizens in public life with an increased circulation of information, greater transparency in political processes, and participation in public debate. The democratization of debate and decision-making, together with decentralization, are key elements in an intricate process of improving systems of governance which should contribute toward giving impetus to development. This belief is based upon the combination of two analytical perspectives. The first suggests that changes in the design of the institutions can contribute to promoting changes in policy. The second draws attention to the role of social actors and their capacity to push for change in processes of development. In both approaches, participation can promote access to public policies, and their quality and responsiveness.